U.K. Watchdog Rejects Novartis's Gleevec

By

Sten Stovall

Updated Aug. 25, 2010 9:23 a.m. ET

LONDON—Britain's cost watchdog said Wednesday it won't recommend Novartis AG's key oncology drug Gleevec as a follow-up treatment for stomach-cancer patients who have had a gastrointestinal stromal tumor removed and are at risk of the cancer recurring, due to cost/benefit considerations.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are a rare kind of tumor which predominantly occur in the stomach or bowel. If they become malignant and are...